Folding crate.



J. SZUTIL' FOL-DING GRATE. APPLIOATION PILED :Um 1 1913.

Patented Sept. 15, 1914. J

Jbhn Smdb,

THE NORRIS PETERS CO.. PHOWMJ THU.. WASHINGTUN. D. C.

a UN ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

JOHN SZUTH OF NEW YORK, N.`Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE -FOURTH '130 GEZA KOCSIS, OI" NEW YORK, N. Y.

FQLDING GRATE.

Application filed July ll, 1913. Serial l\To. 778587.

To all whom it may concem y Be it known that I, JOHN SZUTH, a subject of the Emperor of Austria-Hungary, and resident of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in F olding Crates, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to folding crates and devices comprising boxes and coops which may be shipped with their contents in an expanded shape, but collapsed into a folded condition of limited dimensions to be re-shipped to the consgnor.

The invention consists of hinged sides, bottom and lid, so arranged that they may be folded upon one another to produce a package of very limited bull( and when expanded may be arranged to carry poultry, vegetables or fruit'and form a substantial packing device as will be more fully de scribed in the following specification, set

p forth in the claims and illustrated in the drawings, wherein Figure 1, is a plan View of the crate with" 'thelid thrown back. Fig. 2, shows the crate in its folded position. Fig. 3, is a vertical longitudinal sectional View. Fig. 4, is a cross sectional view.

I The crate may be for the purpose of shipping vegetables, chickens, eggs, 850., and its sides made either of slats or boards to provide for the contents, but the drawings show a box made of boards hinged together and having a par-titon to brace and strengthen same. The box is'made up of side pieces 5, ends 6, top 7, and bottom 8, and hinged to the side pieces and between them is the partiton 9. The end and side pieces are con: nected together byinterior hinges 10, and ll, the hinges being arranged so that the end pieces 6, lap over the edges of the side pieces r but one set opens while the other closes in the act of collapsing the crate. When the crate is opened in its operative form as shown in Figs 1, 3 and 4:, the bottom 8, fits in between the end pieces and against the partition and is held in this position by means of a catch 12, on the partition which engages the bottom, firnly bracng these two members of the box and preventing the collapse of the sides. The top is also held between the end pieces and a slot 13, receives a sta-pls or hasplt Secured to the partition and which may receive a pad lock to retain the lid in its closed position. The hinges and the catch are thus all within the crate so that they cannot be tampered with from the outside and the box opened except by means of a key for the pad-lock. When it is desired however, to Collapse and fold the box for re-shipping or storing and to economize in space, the catch 12, is disconnected after the lid has been thrown back on the rear side, the bottom is folded on the front side and the sides and ends are shifted to bring them into the position shown in Fig. 2. On the upper and lower edge of the respective side pieces are pivoted fingers 15 and 16 and when the crate is folded these fingers are turned at right angles to the sides so that they come in the path of hooks 17 and 18 on the lid and, bottom respectively so as to retain the parts of the box in their folded positions. The ends of the fingers are indented for the'hooks 17 and 18 fit in them and prevent the parts fromseparating. The box is thus entirely without irregularities on its outside with the exception of the staple and pad-lock and no meansis afforded by which the contents of the box canbe reached except after the lid is raised,nor can the box be collapsed except by the release of the catch 12. This catch may beany device connectng the bottom and partitionj but the Simple means shown in the drawing may be best for the purpose.

It is obvious that the details may be modified or the parts otherwise arranged without departing from the essential features above described.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In folding crates, the combination with sides, end pieces, bottom, top and partition adapted to fold upon each other, of pivoted fingers on the edges of the sides, and hooks on the top and bottom to engage the fingers when the crate is folded.

- 2. In folding crates, the combination with peces, a partton hnged to a side, a catch' of June A. D. 1913.

endpeces, of sdes; topf z md bottom hhged Signed at New York in thecountj of New to the sdes r and fittng between the end York and State of New York this 19th day connectng the partton With the bottom, JOHN' SZU THQ fingers' on the edges of the sdeS; and hooks t witnesses: on the top and bottom to engage the fingers CHARLES LA RUE,

Whenthecmte folded; j I V JAMES F. DUHAMEL.

copies o! this patent may be obtained fr five cents eah, by addtessing the Commissioner of Patents. whingto, D. c." 

